European Union as International Actor

The main aim of this course is to study the significance of the EU as one of the most important international actors of our days. The course contents include European Union’s conception and development of foreign and security policy in historical perspective; EU and the world order. The main EU instruments of international actorness, institutions and actors representing the EU in the world politics, EU economic and normative power conceptions and instruments are being analyzed and compared within the course. The notions and historical development of EU external actions and transatlantic relations as well as EU roles in the different regions in the world are to be examined.

The course aims to prepare students capable to explain, analyze, compare and evaluate EU international activities, instruments and policies in relations with great powers and different regions in the world.

The basic subjects in International relations and European Union studies should be listened.

1. EU as international actors: theoretical reflections and meta- analysis. 2. EU common foreign and security policy: development and conception. 3. Inter-institutional relations and decision making. 4.Cleavages between intergovernmental, supranational institutions and EU interests: complex and the principle of solidarity. 5. EU as regional power. EU role in trade policy. EU economical and trade instruments in relations with the third countries. 6.European neighbourhood policy. 7. Barcelona process. Mediterranean Union. South neighbourhood dimension in historical perspective. Association treaties with North Africa countries. EU peace keeping, humanitarian and border management missions and operations. 8.EU role in spreading democratization and human rights. 9.EU- Russia relations: between pragmatism and values. EU energy dependency policy. EU Eastern Partnership. 10. EU enlargement policy as the most effective external policy instrument. Candidate countries: West Balkan states and Turkey. 11. Euro-Atlantic relations. Similarities and differences of the EU and USA foreign policies conceptions. EU relations with NATO. 12. EU – Asian countries relations (China, Japan, India, Middle East). 13. EU- Latin America and Africa relations. EU development policy. EU leadership in world development agenda. 14. EU and international organizations (UN, WTO, WB and etc.). EU role in climate change policy.

Identified, explained and compared the most important institutional capabilities and capacities within EU external policies. Identified socio-political circumstances and economic factors also explained how they are tied with EU external policies Theoretical and empirical analysis measures and theories are applied within EU foreign policy agenda. Evaluated and compared various threats towards different states and its impact on the EU. Evaluated and compared various threats towards different states and its impact on the EU.